


Where the Sea and Sky Meet

by Lunar_Miridien



Category: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Video Game), The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, Attempt at Humor, F/M, Family, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:06:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29686473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunar_Miridien/pseuds/Lunar_Miridien
Summary: "A bird and a fish may love each other, but where would they live? "-- Ever AfterWhen one little thing changes, it can create a cascade of other little changes that bring unexpected people together in unexpected ways. Whether fate favoured or spurned them, they do not know. And besides, with the Calamity looming on the horizon, there were perhaps other things they should have been focused on. Should being the key word here.(Age of Calamity canon, with references to BOTW. Part One of a two-part series)
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Mipha/Revali (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 33





	1. Prelude

**_Part One_ **

* * *

_12 years before the Calamity_

_It was said that Hyrule had once been broken into multiple timelines, all hinging upon the Hero of Time._

_In one such timeline, the land was eventually flooded by the Goddesses, in order to bury the old Hyrule and for a new Hyrule to be rebuilt. In order to prevent the water-dwelling Zora from knowing the awful truth, the Goddesses had turned their fins into wings and made them into Rito, and that’s how the first Rito came to be._

_Another legend said that the Rito were simply descendants of Loftwings, the original mounts of Hylians while they had lived in floating islands in the sky. Once the first settlers from the sky founded Hyrule, the Loftwings had been left to their own devices, and eventually the goddesses gave them speech and more versatile bodies in order to continue their control of the skies. Still, years of partnership with Hylians had made them miss their old companions, and the newly sentient Rito descended from the clouds to reside amongst the Hylians once more._

_Still others say that they were simply another one of the Goddesses’ creations, having eventually come to settle in Hyrule like all the other peoples, only doing so later than the Zora, Gorons, and Gerudo. They had lived mostly in lonely roosts away from the rest of the Kingdom for years, preferring simple and peaceful lives and not wanting to be involved in Hylian affairs. That was until after the Twilight War, during which they had learnt that even hiding from the conflicts of Hyrule didn’t spare them the consequences of such wars._

_It was then that the timelines had merged, back into one Hyrule. With it, came all the pieces of Ganon’s spirit that had been scattered across time, merging together and becoming Calamity Ganon. The Rito had decided that being caught in the crosshairs of the battles to come was no way forward, and thus began their partnership with the rest of Hyrule. The lands in which they lived, the modern day Hebra region, was incorporated into the Kingdom when the Rito were invited to be its citizens, vowing to protect, and in turn be protected by, the other peoples of Hyrule._

_The Hero and Princess Zelda of that time made a final stand against the dark beast Ganon. The ancient Sheikah Technology and divine beasts were uncovered for the first time, and the Princess invited one of the Rito to pilot the fourth beast, an unexcepted find for a Kingdom that had always worked in threes._

_“It must be a divine sign,” the princess had said. “That there were always meant to be four species that lived alongside Hylians in Hyrule. Will you join us and help fight for the peace of this land?”_

_The Rito had accepted. The Zora, Goron, Gerudo, and Rito stood by the Hylians as they fought against the dark figure that was malice incarnate. Calamity Ganon’s attack was subdued, and the Princess, awakening as the Goddess Hylia reincarnated, along with the Hero wielding the Master Sword, sealed Ganon away. And so, 10 000 years of peace came to the land._

“What do you think of the tale, Revali?” the elder of Rito Village asked.

“Hmp, it was okay. I don’t think it matters where we came from. All that matters is that people know that we’re the best archers in the Kingdom,” the young, navy-feathered fledgling said, scratching at the floor with a small talon.

The elder laughed. “Of course. You are still stuck in dreams of becoming the best warrior, aren’t you?”

“It’s not a dream, I will make it a reality,” Revali insisted, hating how squeaky he sounded when indignant. The elder laughed indulgently, and, to the young Revali, a bit condescendingly. Not that the elder was unkind to him, but he, like everyone else in the village, pitied him, and expected little from him.

An orphan. The runt of the flock, the last one any had expected to survive the Lynel attack on his family. His father had died trying to protect them… and all for naught when the Lynel ripped his mother and siblings apart as well. Revali had somehow survived, having been knocked out during the attack and buried beneath the bodies of the rest of his family, thus sparing him from the Lynel’s notice. They’d only realized he was still alive when the other Rito warriors came – too late – to rescue them and found that his body was the only one that was still warm. The tiny Rito child, no older than three, had lost a lot of blood, but clung to life, fighting talon by talon back to health.

The elder had taken him in after that. His own children had long since grown up and had families of their own, and so the aging leader of the village felt renewed vigor at caring for the young child. Despite this, Revali was still considered a nobody in the village. His father had been nothing more than a lowly village guard, and his mother had helped run the general store. Even whilst they were alive, he had been a nobody, and now even more so. Just an orphan to be pitied, another mouth that the village had to shuttle food and resources to.

But a fire burned in his heart, a desire to become _something_. No matter how hard it would be, no matter how much sweat and blood he had to put into it, he vowed that he would surpass the low expectations they’d set for him. He would not just be a _charity_ case taken in at the Elder’s whims, or a burden to the Village resources. He would become the greatest Rito Warrior, the pride of his people, and prove himself worthy of respect. That was all there was to it.

That night was the first night he’d snuck out to watch the other warriors train. He would then try to mimic the moves on his own. After a year of this, the Commander of the warriors, Quill, noticed the tiny fledgeling’s efforts. Amused, Quill decided to teach him as an indulgence. The indulgence quickly turned to surprise, and then determination, when the young Rito proved himself to be more than just another naïve and idealistic child talking big. He learnt, and he learnt quickly. After that, Quill requested to train him personally, and the elder reluctantly agreed.

By the time Revali turned twelve, he was already the best aviator of the village. But that was hardly enough. He wanted to climb so much higher.

***

_2 years before the Calamity_

“But Revali, are you certain you need such an elaborate training ground?” the Elder asked exasperatedly.

Revali just crossed his wings, resisting the urge to huff.

“For the last time, yes,” he stated, clicking his beak in annoyance. “The ones we have currently offer nothing to me anymore. The targets are too easy, the terrain too tame. I’ve already found the perfect spot; I just need your approval.”

“I have heard all the senior warriors praise your skill with the bow, but…”

“But what? I’m sure the others would appreciate a better training area as well. One that actually challenges their skills. Besides, you already promised me my own training ground as a prize for winning that archery competition. All I’m asking is that you let me build it in that spot, and to my specifications.”

After months of arguing the point, the elder finally relented. Revali took to building the Flight Range with zeal, working tirelessly and hauling the wood needed to construct the training lodge, and even traveling to the scalding hot Eldin Region to ask the Gorons to help shape the ravine just to his liking. It was during this time he first met Daruk, the most powerful warrior amongst the Gorons.

“Oho, so _you_ are Revali, the newest Rito Warrior and record holder of the highest winning streak in the Hebra archery competitions?” the large, jovial Goron said, smacking him on the back. Revali resisted the urge to shudder. Any harder and all his bones might have cracked and shattered. He was still avian, after all, and Rito had light bodies made for gliding. His people didn’t have the insulating fat and musculature Hylians might have to cushion his bones and internal organs from overzealous beatings from Gorons.

“Quite tough for a Rito, eh?” Daruk continued, a glint in his eye. “Your kind would usually dodge that. And don’t get me wrong, I’m envious at how fast your people move! But… that’s the first time a Rito has stood their ground when I did that. You’ve got gumption, kid, I’ll give you that.”

So, it had been a test. Revali resisted the urge to scowl. His kind _would_ normally dodge that because it was necessary for survival! One could hardly fly with broken bones, after all, not to mention their intricate structure made healing slow and difficult. Revali didn’t dodge because of… well… pride really. He had actively fought to surmount the odds and perceived limitations of his people. Unlike other Rito, he had worked exceptionally hard to increase his strength and bulk. Beneath his feathers was a body of solid, sinewy muscle, and he could take a much harder beating than his peers. Not to mention that he was able to draw a normal Hylian Knight’s Bow with his arms easily, something that normally gave Rito a bit of trouble.

In order to further counteract the added weight, he’d also begun learning to summon his own updraft. He’d always had a peculiar knack for manipulating the air around him and was now taking it to the next level. Not only would it allow him to fly up from the ground faster, rather than jumping from high places or looking for updrafts like the rest of his people, it would certainly help with his aerial combat as well, especially when he had to use his wings to wield his bow rather than stay in the air. Once he mastered maintaining the updraft beneath him, it would also mean that he wouldn’t need to worry about any added weight hindering flight in the future.

So yes, in all, he could handle Daruk’s back-pats (body-slams, really). But that didn’t mean he appreciated them.

Daruk must have noticed his put-out expression, for he let out a booming laugh. “Hahaha! Don’t be mad, little warrior! I like you, so of course I’ll help you!’

That made Revali soften. The Goron’s simple and genuine cheeriness made it hard to stay irritated at him. “Thank you, Lord Daruk. I appreciate it.”

Daruk waved him off, and patted him on the shoulder. Gentler this time, though Revali still had to resist the urge to move away and tense up just before the large hand landed.

“No need for such formalities! Us Gorons are pretty relaxed people unlike the Hylians or the Zoras and their rigid social customs. But… oh, don’t tell them I said that,” he added quickly and rather sheepishly.

Revali smirked for the first time, the closest approximation to a smile. “Of course not.”

With the Gorons’ help, the flight range was quickly made exactly as he wanted. As Revali had predicted, there were some underground vents below the ground that created a constant updraft that filled the whole ravine once the Gorons broke the surface. It was glorious, and the elder had to admit Revali had the correct foresight to build the training ground there, as well as commend him for his negotiation skills.

“It seems I underestimated you, Revali,” the elder said with a chuckle.

“I know,” Revali said, trying not to feel too smug.

He could see the other warriors already testing out the new training ground, taking advantage of the updrafts. Revali clenched his fist behind his back. He would wait for all of them to leave before practicing his true abilities.

Soon, he would not even need an updraft to take to the skies.

***

_1 year before the Calamity_

The Chieftain of the Gerudo was a most vexing woman, Revali had thought. She and the delegation from Gerudo town had arrived early that morning for a trade negotiation, and from that moment on the headaches started. It was too cold in the village (what did she expect, being in the Tabantha Frontier? Even though they weren’t located in Hebra proper, it was hardly the Gerudo Dessert!), the meals were too bland (okay, maybe some people didn’t like burning their tongues off with capsaicin at every bite), and she wasn’t sure about sleeping in a hammock (that one she might have a point on, Revali grudgingly admitted. The Elder should think about providing beds in the inn at the least for their non-avian guests).

But more than her complaining about the village was her complaints about him. SShe didn’t think much of him, it seemed, even when the Elder introduced him as a captain of the village guard.

“Oh? Are we really giving such a position to children these days?”

He nearly bit his tongue trying to hold back a scathing remark. She was a chieftain, and he had to mind his manners apparently. But really, he was 14! Young, but not a child by Rito standards! Rito childhoods were shorter compared to the other peoples of Hyrule, and she should have known that _._

“Revali is young, but he is talented,” the elder said with pride, mollifying Revali somewhat. “He’s worked harder than any other his age and earned his title.”

“Hmph,” Urbosa didn’t seem that convinced. Revali decided that he wanted nothing to do with the woman beyond the bare minimum required of him.

She told him off at every turn, nothing he did seemed good enough, and somehow he was always in the wrong with her. He was talking too big, he was being rude, he was not eating his soup right…

“Didn’t your mother ever teach you proper manners?”

That was the last straw. “No, because she ‘s _dead_!” he snapped at her, before standing up from the table and storming out of the small hut. He was done with niceties and being diplomatic.

Before anyone could stop him, he had taken off from the main flight platform and flew toward the mainland. He didn’t stop there, gliding into the snowy Hebra region and toward the Flight Range. That was his safe sanctuary, and at this time of the night, no one else would be using it.

He attacked the targets with anger, unleashing arrow after arrow at all of them. Each hit the bullseye, of course, but that wasn’t enough to quell his rage. He knew he would get in trouble later with the elder for wasting them later, but he pulled out a stash of bomb arrows, and let loose. All the targets would have to be replaced after this, and he would have to explain why the village supply of bomb arrows had dwindled, but he didn’t care. He just wanted an outlet for his storming emotions.

It took exactly 20 arrows to hit all twenty remaining targets, and exactly 20 seconds to do so. Whenever he flew and was in the zone like that, time seemed to slow, and he could sometimes hit at least three targets in what all felt like the same second. One day, he would have to expand on that ability, and fire three arrows at each turn… that would make nine targets at once… hmmm, definitely an idea…

“If you keep at it like that, you’re going to hurt yourself.”

He nearly fell out of the air at the out of place voice. Recovering quickly from what might have been a moment of embarrassment he’d never live down, he caught an updraft and flew back up.

Urbosa was standing at the landing to the Flight Range Lodge, gazing up at him. She was bundled in a Snowquill suit, and didn’t seem to mind the cold as much as earlier.

“How the hell did you get here?” he demanded.

“Language,” she chided.

“Answer the damn question!”

She rolled her eyes.

“Your Rito Commander gave me a lift.”

 _Damn you, Quill!_ “Fine, fine, you’re here. Now get out. This training ground is for Rito Warriors only.”

Urbosa frowned and clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “Is that any way to speak to me after I came all this way in the freezing cold after you?”

_No one asked you to!_

Huffing, Revali flew over her back into the lodge. The fire had already been lit under the cooking pot, and a gourmet mixed poultry stew was bubbling. Despite himself, he felt his mouth watering at the aroma.

“That old general said you can never resist a good poultry stew,” Urbosa added slyly. “I seem to recall you not eating much at dinner.”

He huffed again. “Fine, I’ll give you until we finish eating to say what you want to say. Then we’re both leaving.”

She agreed with a smirk.

For a while, there was only silence in the lodge. Quill had mysteriously abandoned him right after dumping the annoying Gerudo there, and Revali was certainly not about to break the silence. Urbosa also seemed content to just study him, while they waited for the stew to be ready. Experience had taught Revali exactly when the best time for that was, and the moment the meat was stewed to perfection he lifted the pot from the fire, putting it on the stand beside the firepit, though did leave the fire burning to keep warming the lodge. Wordlessly, he dished the stew out into two bowls, handing one to the Gerudo before turning away from her and indulging in the warm meal. She was right about one thing; he was ravenous.

After a moment, Urbosa laughed.

“What?” he asked in irritation.

“I suppose all voe are alike in some ways, whether they be Rito or Hylian. You all place an exorbitant amount of importance and focus on food.”

“I think everyone should place importance on food, because you need it to _live_ ,” he snarked back.

“Point taken,” Urbosa said. She put her bowl down. “I realize we may have gotten off on the wrong… foot or wing.”

“You only realize now?”

“Don’t be a smartass with me, young man.”

There was a certain maternal, no-nonsense, quality about the threat that made him shut his mouth despite himself.

Urbosa sighed. “I suppose a part of me reacted instinctively. I just hate seeing children being worked so hard…”

Revali raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Have you heard much about the Princess of Hyrule?” Urbosa asked.

“Not really,” he admitted. He’d been too immersed in his training to worry about the burgeoning princess.

“She’s been forced to work hard all her life. First at being a lady, then at ruling affairs, and now to awaken her birthright. Despite all her hard work, her efforts have not been fruitful in the latter. The girl once nearly passed out in prayer trying to awaken that power, and nothing… she’s only two years older than you are, you know…”

Revali felt a stab of pity, despite his prickliness. He knew how it felt to work every waking hour trying to perfect his craft. To imagine that despite all that, one had nothing to show for it… well, that wasn’t something he could relate to exactly, but he could sympathize with her efforts and frustration.

It reminded him of how the village had expected _him_ to be nothing but a burden when he was a child.

“I see that girl as my own daughter,” Urbosa continued. “Her mother and I grew up best of friends, and when her mother passed away, I took on that role for her. My own daughter is still young, much too young to be thrown in all this, and we Gerudo don’t allow warriors to start training till they are sixteen anyways. So, I hated watching her work like that… and I suppose I thought you’d been forced to do the same…”

“Nothing of the sort,” he sniffed. “They hadn’t thought me capable at all. I simply proved them all wrong.”

He wasn’t sure why he was admitting this. The bitterness, mixed with old fear that they might have been right, had been bubbled up to the surface. Something about the maternal glint in Urbosa’s eyes had dragged it out of him. It had been so long since he felt that sort of care…

“I see… so it was entirely your choice?”

He nodded stiffly.

She let out a breath. “That reassures me somewhat.”

“My well-being should be of no concern to you,” he said haughtily. “I can take care of myself.”

Urbosa raised an eyebrow. “Really? So, what are you planning to tell the Elder about those bomb arrows? I’m not sure you had permission to be using them recklessly like that just to throw a tantrum.”

He was glad his feathers could hide his flush, and he just went back to his food, trying to ignore how petulant he must have seemed. Urbosa let out another laugh.

“Here,” she held out a box. He gave her a look of suspicion, before opening it and finding a bundle of bomb arrows. His eyes widened, and he glanced up.

“Think of it as an apology for poking at your sore spot,” Urbosa stated. “In my defence, I had no idea about your family, but I imagine that hardly makes it better for you to be reminded of it.”

“It’s fine,” he said, glancing away. “I was the one who overreacted. It happened years before. I don’t really remember her… or the rest of them.”

He didn’t like the pity in Urbosa’s eyes. He’d always hated pity. It made him feel as if the other party thought him too weak and incompetent to face a challenge.

“I didn’t grow up neglected if that’s what you’re thinking,” he snapped, glaring at her. “The Elder made sure I was fed and clothed, and Commander Quill started training me when I was young and wanted to learn. He made sure I didn’t injure myself too badly and helped me get to where I am now.”

“And you think that was enough for a child to grow up well?”

He wasn’t sure what she was getting at. Urbosa still had that look in her eyes, one that made him feel both uncomfortable and vulnerable. It was a feeling he usually strove to avoid at all costs, so he turned away again, refusing to meet her gaze.

Eventually, she reached out, and patted his shoulder. Unlike Daruk, her touch was much softer and carried a significantlhy lower probability of breaking his bones, but he still flinched when he first felt her warm hand on him.

“You remind me a bit of Zelda. Both little birds, desperate to fly high to prove yourselves…”

“I’m not little,” he said irately, feeling more embarrassed than ever, and shrugging her hand away. Sure, he hadn’t hit his growth spurt the way other Rito his age had, but it was only a matter of time. He couldn’t always be the runt of the flock… at least he sincerely hoped not.

She just laughed. “Finish your stew! Don’t let it go cold and to waste!”

He felt rather annoyed at the change in subject. But somehow, Urbosa was less vexing than she had been at the beginning of the day. He didn’t put up a fight when she reached out to fix his scarf and clicked her tongue when she saw a singed spot in his tail feathers and reminded him again to be careful. He rolled his eyes at her fussing but allowed her to do it. He was indulging her, that was all. At least that’s what he told himself.

He wouldn’t admit to the slight warmth and yearning that tugged at his chest. One that he quashed down harshly. He didn’t _need_ her, or anyone, looking after him. He could look after himself. He’d done it for so long, and he could keep doing it for as long as he lived. He would prove to any naysayer that he was the strongest and best and would never drag anyone down.

But… he supposed it was nice, for a moment anyways, to have someone else fuss over him.

By the end of Urbosa’s stay, his earlier dislike had faded entirely. He would never admit it aloud, but he truly respected and actually liked the Gerudo Chieftain, even if she had not entirely let up on teasing him and scolding him when she didn’t like his behaviour. She had also taken to calling him ‘grumpy bird’, no matter how much he tried to make her desist.

“Well, I call Zelda Little Bird, and since you are adamant you are not little, that was the next best thing,” Urbosa pointed out.

“It is hardly original,” he snapped. “Not to mention insulting.”

“Insulting? I’m merely pointing out facts. If you want insulting, there are a few choice names I could choose from… for example, I could call you a feather-brained gremlin or a hollow-boned menace instead,” Urbosa pointed out, and then let out a hearty laugh as his feathers puffed out angrily.

And so he resigned himself to his fate of being ‘Grumpy Bird’. A part of him didn’t mind all that much (though this too he would also never admit aloud). It was obvious that Urbosa used it as a term of endearment, and she was just prone to giving nicknames to certain people. No one could stop her once she was set on a nickname, and he supposed it wasn’t the _worst_ possible name he could have gotten.

“I’m thinking…” Urbosa continued, “I was originally scheduled to visit Hyrule Castle next, to bring the Princess to Gerudo Town for a month. However, she has been there numerous times, but has not, as far as I know, been to Rito Village before?” Urbosa continued.

“If she has, I am not aware of it,” Revali said, shrugging. Then it clicked. “Wait, you’re bringing her here? As in now?”

“Well, it would take a week for travel,” she pointed out teasingly. He rolled his eyes.

“So, I’ll have to put up with you again,” he grumbled. “Just when I thought I could finally have some peace and quiet.”“Heh, don’t lie, you enjoy having someone to verbally spar with. Besides, you could use a lot more work on your manners, and spending time with a Princess will hopefully help.”

He huffed. Urbosa further informed him that she would be discussing the issue with the Elder, though both of them knew that it was pretty much a done deal if Princess Zelda and her father agreed. The Rito, though governing themselves while in their own village, were still subjects of the Royal Family of Hyrule after all, and could not say no to such a visit.

“I know you crave recognition, Grumpy Bird,” Urbosa said with a softer look. “And while you are focused on your warriors here, you should really think about expanding your worldview. There is no better recognition than from the Royal Family of Hyrule. And you can start by getting to know its Princess.”

That was a valid point, he had to admit. He was also sure she had a secondary motive for Princess Zelda to get out of the castle and meet more people her age but held his tongue. It was clear Urbosa cared a great deal for the princess.

***

A week later, Princess Zelda herself was standing within Rito Village. Though things had been awkward at first, and though he found her prone to either lapses of melancholy and pessimism or overly technical rambles about obscure topics, her company wasn’t too bad. Tolerable. Even enjoyable at times. She’d found his gale fascinating, since it was the first of its kind and contradicted everything she’d read about Rito flight. Revali, of course, always appreciated another admirer of his skill.

“Amazing! And we still do not know where it came from, whether the other Rito can be taught, or whether it is unique to you and your genes. And if that was the case, was it also present in your ancestors, or was it a first-time mutation in you?”

“Are you calling me a mutation?” he asked indignantly. Zelda’s face turned red and she apologized profusely. Nevertheless, her scholarly nature was piqued, and he did enjoy having someone take so much interest in his prided ability.

She was also the first to ever see him struggle with it. Quite on accident, really, for she had wandered in on a private training session at the Flight Range where he’d been thrown out of his gale and landed heavily onto the ground. He’d been beyond embarrassed and snappy at her, especially when she’d fussed and warned him to be careful and not push himself too hard. He hated people pitying him, and told her it was none of her business and she shouldn’t have been prying. When he’d voiced that, however, she’d been sympathetic. She told him of her own struggles with trying to awaken her powers, how often she’d passed out from exhaustion.

“I understand, I think, the wish to keep going like that,” she told him. “But… well, I suppose it doesn’t do either of us any good if we have to spend time recovering from avoidable injuries afterwards. Not to mention Urbosa scolding us.”

That last line managed to wrest a scoff from him, but he softened a little in amusement. “You too, huh.”

Zelda nodded, smiling fondly. “Urbosa is quite the overprotective one. Ever since I lost my mother, she has been like a second mother to me. I am always grateful for her care, but… she can be a bit overprotective at times.”

He smiled despite himself. “Oh, I know.”

The moment was ruined when Zelda suddenly sneezed and shivered. He got huffy with her, telling her that she was a hypocrite for lecturing him for not minding his health when she had recklessly come to the Flight Range to look for him without proper cold protection. They argued lightheartedly the entire journey back to Rito Village on who was the more irresponsible one (he liked to think he won that argument, since as a Princess, her risking her health was inherently irresponsible), after which he made sure she was fitted with a Rito headdress. That, in combination with a new snowquill suit that was lined with Rito down, was sure to keep her warm. The Elder would have his head if he let the Princess of Hyrule become ill while visiting the village.

After that, he found himself slowly becoming more amiable with her. While others might have accused Revali of being prideful, it wasn’t as if he looked down on others who were less talented or skilled than he was. He only disliked people who didn’t know what it was like to toil and strive, who just got things handed to them without needing to work for them. He was one who always believed in earning one’s place in the world, after all. And if one happened to be born into title and privilege, then one had best well work hard to be worthy of it.

Zelda was clearly the same. From her stories, as she slowly opened up to him, he learnt firsthand how much she had struggled, how much grit she had, and he respected and appreciated it even if he didn’t entirely understand her unique challenges. She was not one to take her place in the world for granted, and held her responsibilities to the Kingdom and its people as top priority. They were similar, in that sense.

In the end, Revali decided he _might_ even deign to call her a friend. At least an acquaintance that wasn’t unbearable. She was perhaps his first personal connection to someone his age. Not that he had lacked acquaintances with other Rito of his peer group previously, but it was the first time he felt a true kinship with someone. Urbosa was right; both of them had indeed grown up lonely and desperate to prove themselves. He would never have thought a _royal_ would be able to understand him, much less a non-Rito, but here they were.

“Well, I suppose you’ve always been a bit different than the rest of us,” General Quill told him later during a scouting mission later. “I mean that in a good way. I had a feeling from the beginning that you were meant for more than just our humble village, and so I am glad to see you making friends with the other peoples of Hyrule. Quite lofty friends too, I notice.”

“They’re not friends, just acquaintances,” he replied stubbornly. Quill smiled indulgently.

“If you say so. I look forward to see how this will all go.”

He made a face, but Quill thankfully dropped the topic.

At the end of her two weeks stay, Zelda had become much more relaxed and open. The day before she left, she actually gave him a hug. He stood frozen, reeling in shock at the sudden physical contact, and Urbosa fought to control her laughter at his expression, which must have been a mix of horror and bafflement at his predicament. Urbosa’s expression turned slightly concerned, however, as she noticed Revali’s continued stiffness, but thankfully Zelda was unaware of anything amiss.

“I’ll miss you, Revali! I hope we can see each other again soon. Next time, I’ll introduce you to my dear friend Impa as well! I have a feeling you two might get along, since you two both enjoy combat so much.”

She released him, and he sighed inwardly in relief. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had hugged him, or that he’d been squashed in such close proximity to another (at least not when he was conscious). The last time… was when he’d been buried under the pile of his family’s bodies. He shuddered at the sudden, intrusive memory, feeling rather disoriented and unsettled. He forced himself to keep his breathing even and not to think of that, but to instead redirect his thoughts to vague memories of his mother holding him as a hatchling instead. If he was to continue his acquaintanceship with the Princess, he could not allow such feelings to affect him so much.

“Fine, fine,” he managed, trying to keep his tone light. It wasn’t as if either Zelda nor Urbosa knew the full details of his past, and he knew that they meant all of this innocently. And besides, their bodies were so different from Rito that their touches shouldn’t even had triggered such panic, he told himself. He just had to rewire his thoughts. It did help that Zelda’s beaming smile triggered another vague memory of his childhood, of his brothers and sisters giggling as they crowded together around a crackling fire while their mother and father sang to them and taught them to sing. Zelda might not be a Rito, but her smile reminded him of those happier, if not bittersweet, memories. Yes… that was better. That was how he would assign this feeling in the future.

Urbosa just smiled again as she saw him relax. She threw her arms around them both, and Revali was gratified to find that this time, he did not flinch, though it would take some more time before he would become accustomed to such physical contact. 

***

Three months later, he was obliged yet again to host Zelda as she brought Impa to Rito village. Nevertheless, the princess had not been entirely wrong n her estimations. The Sheikah Warrior was skilled in combat and loyal almost to a fault, but Revali did appreciate her company. Especially when the three of them happened to run into a horde of bokoblins in the mountains, and he and Impa expertly took them out before any of them could come near Zelda. Though scatter-brained and a bit dense on certain matters, Impa was a reliable ally to have.

Perhaps Quill was onto something. Revali did find himself connecting remarkably well to the peoples outside of his own. Gerudo, Goron, Hylian, Sheikah… he supposed the only ones he hadn’t yet met was anyone of the Zora. Quite unsurprising, given they lived on the other side of Hyrule and were, despite what any legends said, the opposites of Rito. Not to mention the Zora traditionally kept to themselves and were more insular compared to the other peoples of Hyrule. Occasionally, he’d fleetingly wonder if he would ever come into contact with them, or if they’d even get along if their paths were to cross. He’d had no occasion to travel to Zora’s Domain before, but sometimes, during early morning sunrises, he would find himself looking to the far east and muse on such hypothetical encounters.

At that time, he couldn’t have known how much his life would be altered once he finally came in contact with the water-dwelling Zora. He was a creature of the sky, and they were people of the water, and yet, their meeting seemed almost fated to be.

***

_Bonus Text:_

Revali: hello maternal figure (that I refuse to acknowledge out loud)

Urbosa: hello problem child (that I have just decided to adopt)

Zelda: wait, does this make us siblings?

Revali: *too emotionally repressed to comment and fluffs off*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a slightly self-indulgent piece I wrote right after playing Age of Calamity. Though she didn't appear here, the main focus will be Revali/Mipha. However, I did want to explore Revali's character more, since we really know so little about him, and I wanted to delve more into my headcanons about him and how he interacts with the other characters and his village. For example, him and Zelda here. I always headcanon'ed him and Zelda sharing a sibling like bond, and no one can convince me otherwise. Also Urbosa will adopt any broken child she sees lol. 
> 
> Some liberties were taken with timelines and lore, so apologies if there are any inconsistencies! Also, I will be referencing some other games in the franchise. For those of you who played Wind Waker, you might have noticed that Quill is a reference to the Rito postman who helped Link out in the beginning. I just needed more Rito for Revali to interact with so I can explore a little of his dynamic with his village, and it was easier to draw upon Wind Waker characters initially. Cheers Quill, for always believing in the ability of little kids to save the world! Is he a reincarnation? Who knows….
> 
> Also, the thing about Rito childhoods is based on my impression that birds of prey mature fairly quickly. (E.g. red-tailed hawks mature in 2-3 years and apparently can live up to 25 years in the wild, and Bald eagles mature in 5 years and can live to nearly 40 years in the wild, and 50 in captivity. So in all, they mature in 1/10th of their lifespan (whereas a human takes roughly 1/5th of their lifespan to reach full maturity). Therefore, my headcanon is that Rito mature faster as well, though since they have more human-like traits, it is still slower relative to actual birds. I thought it’d be a fun contrast to how slow the Zora age.
> 
> Hope you’ve enjoyed! I promise Mipha will show up in the next chapter.


	2. Intersection

_6 months before the Calamity_

It was on a cool and crisp morning in late winter, with the first signs of the coming spring peeking around the corner, when Revali was made the Commander of the Rito Warriors. The youngest ever. He had never felt prouder as he stood at the head of the Rito Warriors, and accepted the Great Eagle Bow that Quill handed him. The old commander was retiring and had spent the last while making this bow. It was truly a marvel, a bow of peerless craftsmanship. Quill had used the finest, hardiest of wood that would give the bow the flexibility it needed to be drawn and fire shots further and faster than any other Rito bow, and then reinforced the frame with steel and diamond to allow it to take an extra beating, even if Revali were to use it as a melee weapon. The tautness of the bowstring was such that even Hylians would find drawing it difficult, not to mention the little pulley systems that had cleverly been hidden within each end of the bow that further multiplied the force of each shot.

Revali had to swallow the lump in his throat as he held the bow for the first time and looked up to see Quill smiling at him with pride. He would make sure he was worthy of this bow, of Quill’s unspoken faith in him to lead the Rito Warriors in his stead.

“Master Revali, we are at your command,” one of the junior Rito captains, a younger warrior with pure white feathers named Ibari with whom Revali had once trained (though had long since surpassed) said with a bow of his head. Revali puffed with pride at the title and nodded in thanks.

There were some that had been unsure about him, especially amongst the senior captains. Revali was known to be a solitary warrior, not to mention the youngest amongst them, and though they knew he was the best archer and second to none in aerial combat, they didn’t know if they were ready to listen to his commands.

“Are we really to give leadership to someone who’s technically still a juvenile?” one of the captains, the best blademaster of the village, Kiba, had protested within Revali’s earshot. He was unfazed even as Revali narrowed his eyes at him. “Even if he’s the so-called best warrior of the village, we can’t forget he was still a fledgling only a few years back.”

“Yes, I’m a bit concerned myself,” Senior Rito Captain Vazli agreed. He was the youngest son of the village elder, though Revali had seen little of him growing up due to him usually ranging and patrolling the Northern Hebra border.

“Your father adopted him, what do you think?” Kiba had asked, even as Revali turned away to address the younger warriors and hand out a new training regimen to them.

“I dunno, I never talked to him much,” Vazli shrugged. “He seems a bit young for something like this. But I do have faith in Master Quill’s judgement, if nothing else. Since both my father and Master Quill have approved of his appointment, I say we wait and see what happens.”

“Are you going to just let them say those things?” one of the junior Rito captains asked Revali as he passed by. Komali, the elder’s oldest grandson. He glanced at his uncle Vazli, then back to Revali. There was a challenge in his eyes. Though Revali had grown up around him, he and Komali were not particularly close since there was a five-year age gap between them, and also due to Revali having actively resisted bonding with many other people as a child. Nevertheless, Komali was probably the closest thing he had to a friend amongst the warriors, and Revali frowned at the thought that he might agree with the other captains’ sentiments as well.

“They can say what they want,” he replied with a shrug. “I won’t waste my breath trying to convince them. I will prove myself soon enough.”

And prove himself he did. He quickly put his tactical brain to use, revamping the training regimens, reorganizing ranging missions and coordinating patrols to better match the skills and talents within the ranks. He even began working with the Hylian village guards in the nearby Tabantha Village to organize scouting missions to hunt and weed out monster camps in the Tabantha and Hebra regions, making the area safer for both Rito and Hylian use. Many of these missions, he personally led, clearing out hordes upon hordes of monsters. Not only did this mean increased security for all of them, but it meant that they could expand habitable territory, arable lands, and hunting grounds, which were critical when one lived in an area that offered such short growing seasons. Just in time for Spring as well.

There was some resistance to his efforts at first, though he fortunately had enough support amongst some of the warriors, not to mention Quill’s unwavering faith and the Elder’s backing, that he was able to move the projects along regardless. And, as his successes began to pile up, more and more warriors began to come around and trust his judgement. With each passing victory, more of them came to respect and support him as their commander.

Luckily, the critical event to cement his position came soon after. Not too long after his promotion, there was a disturbance in the Hebra region. An egg-shaped Guardian had suddenly led a large group of monsters towards the village. Revali had quickly organized the troops, and then personally led a handful of the best warriors with him to engage the horde. Far from the usual lumbering and mismatched raids they’d faced before, there was more purpose and organization to this bunch. Their numbers were greater, the individuals amongst them stronger, and they attacked with an unprecedented level of coordinated ferocity.

But they were still no match for Revali and his warriors. After assessing the situation, he commanded his forces to split into two groups. One half lured the monsters into a dead-end valley, whereupon the second half of his warriors ambushed them. Revali flew above the horde, summoning his gale and providing the updraft his warriors needed to escape the valley quickly before the monsters could comprehend their predicament, and the two units quickly formed an impenetrable circle around the horde. Trapped, the monsters had nowhere to escape except by trying to cut through Revali and his warriors.

Several of the monsters screamed in rage and made to attack. But the Rito had both advantage of terrain and skill. Revali flew up to them before they could move another muscle, bow at the ready.

“Hate to disappoint, but you won’t be breaking through,” he said drily, before unleashing a volley of arrows on them. By now, he’d perfected shooting at least three arrows at once, and that in conjunction to his bullet-time concentration and enhanced gale, allowed him to cover the battlefield with arrows all by himself. The other Rito archers formed the outer perimeter of their circle, also raining arrows upon any monsters that tried to run while the blademasters and spearmasters expertly wove through the fray and attacked the confused beasts head-on. A host of Rito warriors stood atop the cliff edge, using their spears to deter any monster foolish enough to try and scale the sheer cliff face to flee the battle. Together, they made escape nigh-on impossible for the invaders.

Revali himself challenged the biggest and meanest of the monsters, a rather hardened moblin carrying a Hylian broadsword he’d no doubt taken from some poor sod that was no longer of this world. He came at it from all angles, speed and strength in one, until the thing was too confused to swing its blade properly. A roar of fury rumbled in its throat, which only invigorated Revali more.

“Unfortunately for you, you’ll have to fight me. Watch and learn,” he smirked at it, feeling the wind at his feet. His gale carried him high into the air, kicking up snow and confusing the horde even more. Within the eye of the storm, Revali drew his bow, three bomb arrows at the ready.

“You don’t stand a chance,” he said, before letting the shots loose.

By the time the smoke, snow, and dust settled, there was nothing left but the carcasses of the monsters. The Egg Guardian had unfortunately disappeared, and Revali could only hope that it had been blown up in all the confusion of raining bomb arrows. The other warriors cheered, and Revali couldn’t hide a pleased smirk at the genuine admiration heaped upon him by the others.

“Well, I had been skeptical at first, but you’ve really outdone yourself,” Vazli said with a hearty laugh as he dusted snow off his feathers. “An invasion to the village stopped, and at no loss for us!”

“Indeed, I concede I was wrong to doubt you,” Kiba said, shaking his head. He looked Revali up and down, and then, to Revali’s surprise, placed a wing over his chest and bowed his head. “It is an honour to fight under your command, Master Revali.”

It was the first time he’d used the title ‘Master’ to address him.

From beside him, Komali also followed suit, giving Revali a nod of approval and the faintest of smiles. A rarity for the normally solemn Rito Warrior. On Kiba's other side, Ibari was the complete opposite, cheering enthusiastically despite his white feathers having been turned an ashy grey due to the soot from Revali’s bomb arrows. Revali just nodded in acknowledgement of their sentiments, not trusting himself not to say something incoherent if he were to open his beak. He was unable to explain the mixture of giddy triumph and solemn responsibility that fell over him at their words, knowing that he now carried the weight of their trust and faith on his shoulders. He had finally proven himself to them.

Though tired, the warriors celebrated enthusiastically with the other villagers that night, speaking again and again of Revali’s combat feats as they partook in a hearty banquet. He soaked it all in. This was what he had hoped for…. Recognition, acknowledgement…

“We couldn’t have done it without you Master Revali!” the older warriors exclaimed.

He was not a burden. He had proven he was far from incompetent. He was an asset to his people. He had been able to protect his home.

“You are the pride of the Rito! Our hero!” some younger villagers told him.

He was _something_. No longer just a nobody… he was someone to be respected, someone worth something to the village.

Smiling to himself, he accepted the drink they offered him and let himself relax just a little.

***

“Princess, I really wish you would have sent word, so we wouldn’t have been caught in this mess,” he said to Zelda with an irritated scowl.

“Sorry, sorry,” Zelda said sheepishly. “Impa had wanted to scout on ahead. I didn’t know you had been attacked the day before.”

He huffed. “I did _not_ appreciate being dragged out of bed early this morning because the scouts thought something suspicious was afoot.”

Whatever the older warriors had given him to drink last night, he’d clearly imbibed too much of it, and it had given him a splitting headache that morning, making him extra grumpy when news of another attack dragged him out of bed at an ungodly hour. Nevertheless, he had immediately organized his troops to take on the new ‘invaders’… which turned out to be a bunch of Hylian soldiers led by Princess Zelda’s Sheikah advisor Impa, another egg-shaped guardian (just how many of these were running around?), and an irritating Hylian knight.

That little upstart was lucky Revali was hungover. The princess might not have had time to intervene before Revali had roughed him up if he’d been in top fighting shape. Though, Revali had to grudgingly admit that he was pretty good for a young knight and had given him a fair bit of trouble during their fight. There had been one or two close calls, and Revali knew he was also lucky to have escaped unscathed. Not that he’d ever say that to the Hylian’s face, of course.

“I’m glad no one was hurt… both of you,” Zelda added, looking between Revali and the knight. Revali scowled, and walked on ahead, away from the throng, calling for word to be sent back to Rito Village to welcome their royal visitor.

Zelda caught up to him. “Revali! What’s gotten into you? You’re even grumpier than usual, and I didn’t think that was possible!”

“Nothing,” he huffed, crossing his wings.

Zelda frowned, and then leant closer to him and sniffed. “Were you drinking last night?” she asked in hushed tones, eyes wide.

“None of your business!”

The golden-haired princess giggled. “Urbosa would be so mad at you… or mad at whoever got you drunk! “Absolutely irresponsible! When I find out who did this, they will pay for being the one to introduce him to alcohol before me!” she’d say.”

Zelda did a good impression of Urbosa’s angry voice, and Revali had to resist the urge to smile despite himself.

The two walked ahead while Impa and the annoying knight, whose name Revali hadn’t bothered to learn, trailed behind. The other Rito warriors were offering profuse apologies for the misunderstanding and promised a warm welcome at the village. In turn, Impa was apologizing as well for any injuries or damage they’d dealt them as well. All of them were looking worse for wear, though thankfully no one had been seriously harmed.

“We’ll stop by the flight range first,” Revali told them. “I have some warm elixirs and hearty elixirs stored there that we can give to the wounded.”

“I’ll fly ahead and distribute them, Master Revali!” the Rito Captain Ibari said. Revali nodded at him in thanks.

Along the way, Zelda told him about the fortune teller that had predicted Calamity Ganon’s return in their lifetime. He’d heard the story before and knew of her unspoken worries: the power that still lay dormant within her that had to be key to sealing Ganon. It had featured prominently in all the stories the Elder had read to him as a child. The Princess with the blood of the Goddess, with the power to harness the Triforce, was the only one who could seal away the calamity. He could only imagine the pressure and turmoil Zelda was feeling. However, Zelda was focused on something else today.

“The first time Calamity Ganon had appeared, the Princess Zelda of that time employed Sheikah technology to counter his army,” she said instead. “I was thinking that we could do the same! Purah and Robbie at the Royal Research Facility have already figured out how to build ancient weapons, and also how to awaken those Divine Beasts…”

He knew what she wanted to ask and was waiting for her to say it out loud. But Zelda just seemed happy to see him and was more focused on catching up. She was rather excitable and went off on a tangent, telling him at length about the latest developments of the Sheikah Slate. Clearly, she’d gotten into one of her rambly moods. If he didn’t redirect this conversation, they’d be here for hours.

“So then, you want me to pilot that Divine Beast?” he said, cutting in before she could launch into another spiel about the Sheikah runes (though he admitted he would like to learn to harness their use later). But right now, there were more important things to address.

He glanced back at the village. The Divine Beast Vah Medoh, a semi-sentient piece of technology, had always stood atop Rito Village, having been dormant there after the war 10 000 years ago. Revali hadn’t thought of it as anything than a hunk of ancient tech for so long… but now, the thought of it coming to life, of it following his command… of piloting it… it made a rush of excitement run all the way down to his tail feathers.

“Oh! Well, yes,” Zelda said. “I mean, you knew that, didn’t you?”

“Of course, I am the natural choice,” he boasted with his usual cavalier confidence. “I _am_ the best Rito Warrior, after all.”

Impa rolled her eyes, but Zelda just giggled in amusement. Revali felt the silent knight’s gaze on him, though what he was thinking was unfathomable. Revali didn’t much care anyways.

They reached the Flight Range then. After everyone had been healed and warmed up, Zelda told him that the egg guardian with her carried with it data within it from seemingly another timeline, where the Calamity had already awoken. It had shown her a Hyrule, their Hyrule, that had fallen to the Calamity, and images of Hyrule Castle embroiled in dark malice. Revali hadn’t thought much about time travel previously, though he knew from Hyrule’s histories that it could be done. Besides, the horrifying images on the Sheikah Slate certainly looked too real to be fabricated.

Still, it bothered him a little that the egg had appeared seemingly out of nowhere with this warning. How had it come here? Did someone send it? Was it a trap? He eyed the egg warily and agreed with Impa’s sentiments that its resemblance to the one that had led the attack on Rito Village was also rather suspicious. Zelda vouched for the little guy, however, and it did seem very protective of her, even puffing itself up and beeping wildly when Revali implied he didn’t think Zelda’s choice of the annoying knight as her guard was adequate protection.

Though, it didn’t appear to be defending the irritating knight. Just inserting itself as one of Zelda’s champions as well. Revali rolled his eyes at the absurdity of the situation, though he supposed that there were worse scenarios.

“So then, have you found pilots for the other beasts yet?” he asked presently, as they readied themselves to return to Rito Village.

“Not yet, though I have people in mind,” she answered. “I was going to ask Urbosa, and Lord Daruk of the Gorons, and Princess Mipha of the Zora.”

“Oh?” Revali placed a hand underneath his beak. The first two were natural choices. He knew full well their prowess as warriors. But he had to admit he hadn’t heard much about Princess Mipha, other than rumours of her being a skilled healer. Being a Zora and slow aging, she must be at least 70 to 80 years old now, though was still not considered a full adult by Zora standards.

“You don’t think Urbosa will be on your case for that?” he whispered to Zelda. “Princes Mipha, I mean. You know how she gets about _children_ fighting.” He grimaced.

“I know, but I can’t think of anyone else more suited,” Zelda whispered back. “Vah Ruta was named for the famed Princess Ruto of the Zora, after all… and only the Zora royal family have ever piloted the beast. Mipha’s brother is still much too young, and King Dorephan will be too old to do so. She’s the only one.”

“Hmph,” Revali said, clicking his beak. “That might be true. But you’ll probably have a hard time convincing that old Zora King to put his daughter into danger like this.”

“Well, that’s why I was hoping you’d come with us to go see him.”

Revali gave her a blank stare. “What.”

“Oh, come on, it’ll be fun! You’ve never been to Zora’s domain, right? Wasn’t there a story that the Rito came from the Zora?”

“That old nonsense,” he muttered. “You’d think if we came from the Zora, we’d be able to cross-mate with one another, but as far as I know that has never happened.”

Zelda rolled her eyes. “I’m just saying that if King Dorephan sees another young warrior being chosen as a pilot, he might be more amendable to the idea.”

Revali mulled over the request for a moment. True, he hadn’t left Hebra or Tabantha all that much in his life. In fact, he’d spent the most of the last decade here at the flight range, or out in the Hebra Mountains, training and fighting off monsters to protect Rito Village. Going across the map to Zora’s Domain just might prove to be interesting.

“Fine, fine, when do you need me to join you there? I’m assuming you’re going down to Gerudo Town first to find Urbosa?”

“Yes… I mean, I guess you can’t just come with us now?”

“I would rather NOT have to sit in the sand all night waiting for you and Urbosa to finish your girl talk,” he grimaced. Even after all this time, despite his and Urbosa’s weird friendship, he had still never been allowed to set foot into Gerudo Town. The rules of the town were sacred, apparently. Only females (or ambiguously gendered Gorons) were allowed. “Besides, I still have duties in the village, and I can’t just take off without warning.”

Zelda giggled. “Right, right. I’m hopeful we can finish parlaying with the Gerudo in a fortnight. After that, we will make our way to Zora’s Domain. I estimate that it will take us a good month to get there by horse, so if you could be at Goponga Village by then, we’ll pass by and meet up there first.”

He nodded once. “Sounds doable. I can take care of things here first then.”

Zelda nodded. “I’m glad to have you as one of the Champions, Revali. Really.”

Champion. He liked the sound of that.

***

_5 Months before the Calamity_

King Dorephan was as stubborn as Revali had predicted. He could feel Zelda’s tension as she stood before him, and felt her disappointment when he soundly rejected her pleas. Even Revali’s presence there did not help. Dorephan just gave him a rather suspicious look when he was introduced, despite Revali having stood in the back of the throne room with Impa.

“I am not unaware of my daughter’s exceptional ability with the spear. And of course, I have heard that the newest Rito Commander is a lad not yet fifteen years of age. I’m not sure how the Rito prefer to decide their warriors and champions, but you can be sure I will not allow _my_ daughter to go into combat until she’s at least a century old.”

Revali held his tongue, knowing it would upset Zelda if he argued back against Dorephan. His was similar to Urbosa’s viewpoint, except that while Urbosa had disapproved out of genuine concern, Dorephan seemed actively dismissive of Revali’s abilities, without even giving him a chance to prove himself.

Or, perhaps he just didn’t seem to understand the critical need to counter Calamity Ganon. True, Revali didn’t have a high opinion of Fortune Tellers, but the images Zelda had shown him on that Sheikah slate were too dire to ignore. Even if there was only a 1% chance the Calamity would awaken in their lifetime, wasn’t it better to be safe rather than sorry? Wasn’t it better that they do everything to prevent that sort of destruction from happening?

However, any chance for further discussion was interrupted when a Zora Captain rushed in with reports of a monster invasion. Worse, the young prince of the Zora had apparently gone missing, possibly to Mount Polymus, where a Lynel was rumored to dwell.

The Zora pretty much forgot their presence at that, scrambling to organize troops to send out to deal with the monsters. Revali watched with some interest, noting their battle strategies and tactics and wondering if he could incorporate that into his own guard, when Zelda’s voice interrupted.

“We have to help!’ she said insistently.

“We?” Revali asked, raising an eyebrow. “If anyone is going out there to help, it is Impa and I. _You_ should stay behind and stay safe.”

Zelda glared at him. ‘I’ve learnt how to employ the Sheikah Slate in combat! I even taught you how to use a few runes, didn’t I?”

She did. He had to admit that.

“Fine, fine, just don’t get yourself killed,” he said as he rushed forward into battle.

Impa gave him a disapproving look. “You were _supposed_ to convince her to stay behind!” she hissed, running up to catch up with him.

“Isn’t that your job?” he sassed back. When Impa frowned, he added, “Relax, I doubt she’ll get into that much trouble. It’s just some lizalfos. With the two of us out in the field, I’m sure we’ll keep her safe.”

“What about the Lynel?” Impa asked.

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” he said, clenching his fists. “I will gladly deal with it. I have a bone to pick with Lynels, after all.”

***

The first time Revali had met the Zora Princess Mipha, it was in the middle of a battle. He wasn’t familiar with the geography of Zora’s domain, and of course no one pointed him to Mount Polymus in the midst of battle. Unfortunately, most of the monsters invading were electric Lizalfos, which the Zora were particularly vulnerable against. He had to spend the first while dive-bombing them from above, clearing the surrounding areas of all the monsters, and of course making sure Zelda was safe. It was only after a majority of the foes were gone that someone _finally_ pointed him in the right direction.

“Master Revali, we beg of you, please aid Princess Mipha!” one of the captains pleaded. “We are weak to lightning and…”

“I got it,” he said, taking flight before the captain could finish.

With his gale, he reached the mountain-top quickly, even faster than the Zora who could climb the waterfall. He arrived just in time to see the Lynel swipe at Zelda’s Hylian knight (Link, he grudgingly remembered). Link barely managed to block the blow but was pushed back several paces. Beside him was a red and white Zora female. That must have been Princess Mipha. She was rather pretty, he had to admit, though much smaller than all the other Zora he’d seen thus far. For the first time, he understood some of Dorephan’s hesitancy in naming her Champion.

“Link! Be careful!” she called out, voice filled with worry. Link nodded at her and pushed back against the Lynel.

Oh, so they were familiar with one another? Interesting.

But Link didn’t have much time to say anything else (if he even would have spoken anyways), since the Lynel readied a volley of shock arrows. Lynel bows fired 3 to 5 arrows in a burst, and surely the Zora Princess would be caught in the volley.

“Tch, figures,” Revali muttered. He acted first, taking off into the air and firing off three arrows of his own before the Lynel could draw its bow. The middle one shot straight into the Lynel’s face. Not enough to kill it, but enough to at least make it scream in pain and crumple. The other two, bomb arrows, kicked up a cloud of dust and mud, which provided a perfect smokescreen to hide his movements. He swooped down, landing right beside the Zora Princess.

Mipha gasped at his sudden appearance. “You…”

“Princess Mipha, correct? No time for useless chatter. Get on my back, this isn’t a battle for you.”

“But- “

“I’ll take care of it. I assume that little knight could probably hold the Lynel off for a bit longer, or he’s not worthy of the title of knight.”

Mipha frowned a little at the derisive tone he used, but at the crackle of more shock arrows, must have let logic override emotions and nodded. He winced as he felt her sharp nails dig into his shoulders nervously (thank goodness for his shoulder guards, or that might have drawn blood), and she barely held back a terrified scream as they shot back up into the air. He deposited her on a precipice overlooking the battle.

“You’re Master Revali, aren’t you?” she said breathlessly as she stumbled to the ground.

“My name has traveled far, it seems,” he said, pleased to have been known to her. “Unsurprising, of course, given my stellar reputation.”

She ignored that and gripped his wing. “My brother… Sidon… he’s still somewhere down there. Please…”

“Fine, fine,” Revali said, using his sharp eyes to quickly locate the tiny and frightened Zora child hiding behind a tree. Without hesitation, he dove after the boy, weaving through Link and the Lynel’s fight and finding the child. However, it seemed that at this point, the Lynel had finally realized that Revali was the one to wound him earlier, and it turned its attention to him. The burning rage in its eyes was familiar, and once upon a time had terrified him. For a moment, Revali froze, feeling the familiar tightening of his throat closing up against his will. He couldn’t help it. No matter how many times he’d faced Lynels since his childhood, no matter how many he battled and slew, he always found himself hesitating a little when first coming face to face with one.

But he hurriedly shook the feeling away. With each passing encounter, he’d also gotten quicker and better had pushing aside any fears or misgivings that rose involuntarily within him. He knew the beast was no match for him. He had come too far from the scared fledgeling he’d once been to be cowed now, and he was not going to let this Lynel continue terrorizing others any longer. Especially not another small, defenseless, child.

“Tch, how annoying,” he muttered. Only a second had passed, but it was still a second too long in Revali’s opinion. Without hesitation, he grabbed the silver belt around Sidon’s waist, taking off into the air while the young Zora squealed in surprise. There would be no time to bring him to Mipha, so the Zora child would just have to deal with hanging off Revali’s talons for a bit.

“Link, is it?” he called out to the Hylian knight below. “I’m going to stun him again. You know a Lynel’s weak point, don’t you? Make use of it!”

Link blinked up at him in surprise. Revali hated to give him any of the credit for taking down a Lynel, but he really had no choice if he was to keep the Zora Prince safe. He pulled out three more bomb arrows and unleashed the volley once more. The Lynel screamed as it went down, panting heavily, trying to blink blood from its eyes while a wound bled profusely from its head. Link rushed forward, swinging onto the Lynel’s back. He began to hack at the weak spot where the Lynel’s upper torso joined its horse-like body. The Lynel bucked and snarled as it tried to throw the Hylian knight off, but Link held on. Revali had to admit some grudging respect for that. It was a move that was difficult for Rito to pull off, given their light bodies and hollow bones.

Unwilling to let Link have all the fun, he drew one special arrow, its point made of diamond and being sharper and harder than most, and fired it straight at the Lynel’s eyes. It went through the socket and into its brain with a rather sickening sound, while at the same time Link plunged his sword into the weak spot he’d finally cleaved open in the Lynel’s hide. There was one last guttural cry of pain and wrath from the creature, before it finally collapsed to the ground, unmoving.

“Woahhhh,” Sidon breathed out. “So cool!”

“Kid, this isn’t something you should have seen at all,” Revali said to him huffily. At the same time, he was also relieved that Sidon did not seem to have been traumatized by the encounter with the Lynel. He descended slowly, depositing Sidon on the ground, even as Mipha came running down the hill towards him.

“Oh, Sidon! I was so worried!”

She scooped her brother up, hugging him tightly, while Sidon flashed her a toothy grin, showing off his pearly but pointed teeth. Revali glanced away from their sibling reunion, trying to ignore a sudden feeling of constriction in his chest, and strode over to Link. He eyed the Hylian knight calculatingly. A prodigy they’d called him. He was around the same age as the Zelda, and had been a star with a sword the moment he held it. Since then, his promotion through the ranks had been smooth sailing, bolstered by his father’s position as Captain of King Rhoam’s Royal Guard. This fact irritated Revali more than it should.

Revali always hated people who’d had things handed to them. While he could admit Link had skill, he couldn’t swallow the thought that everything had just _come_ to him like that, that his path had always been such smooth sailing. Link had never known how it felt to be whispered about as ‘weak’ and ‘pitiful’. He never knew what it was like to spend every waking hour training and every sleeping hour dreaming of new ways to push himself higher, just to prove himself. Revali was talented, but he’d also had to work damn hard to get to where he was. The cards had been stacked against him from birth, unlike how it was for Link.

Link gave him a small nod at his appraising look, his expression unsure. Revali scoffed and turned away. Perhaps it was hurt pride, perhaps it was petty, but he didn’t really care. He could be Zelda’s Rito Champion _without_ having to like everyone else on the team, couldn’t he?

“Link! Thank you for your help!” Mipha said, running towards the Hylian, a beaming smile on her face. Revali slipped away as she fussed over Link. There was no thanks for him. Of course not; they’d seen it as his duty to do this, and this was just what was expected of him. So of course, he would not receive thanks for _his_ work.

That was always how it was. People like Link were just blessed from birth. He had talent, he had family and friends, he had beautiful Zora Princesses to fuss over him and Hylian Princesses to elevate his status. He already had a great destiny set up for him

Link had been born lucky. Whereas Revali had been lucky to be born, lucky to have lived, and had had to claw his way to where he was now.

People like Link, or even Mipha and Zelda, would never understand. Those born with a lineage and legacy would never understand.

***

King Dorephan finally relented on letting Mipha pilot the Divine Beast after the attack. Another horde of monsters had invaded the stronghold while the rest of them had been dealing with the Lynel. Without Vah Ruta, Zora’s Domain surely would have fallen. But Mipha had felt the call in her bones, in her heart, as she passed by the Divine beast, and against her father’s wishes had entered the beast to take control of it. In the end, Zora’s Domain was saved, and her father had finally understood the gravity of the situation.

“The Zora are with you, your Highness,” the Zora King said to Princess Zelda, his tone more morose but also kinder than before. “We will stand against the Calamity together.”

“Thank you, King Dorephan,” Zelda said, beaming.

“Thank you, father,” Mipha said as well, feeling a swell of pride and relief.

Finally. At long last, she would be given a reason to leave the domain and prove herself capable to the rest of Hyrule.

Mipha had grown up adored and admired. She was the epitome of the grace and beauty, and the pride of her father and her people. Her gift of healing, along with her skills with her Lightscale Trident, had made her the perfect Princess of the Zora. Graceful, strong, and dutiful… everything expected of a Princess. Sometimes, she couldn’t help but feel insecure, wondering if everyone adored her simply _because_ she was a princess, though had long-since decided that since she couldn’t change the circumstances of her birth, she would just have to do her best to be worthy of her privilege.

Mipha would be the first to admit that she had been born lucky. And yet, because of that, her father had always been overprotective of her. In her long childhood, she had been envious of many of her peers being taken to go diving off dangerous ravines, or else travel to other parts of Hyrule on long fishing and exploration trips. She had never been granted any of that, had never been allowed to set foot outside the domain.

Link had been her first true connection to anyone outside the Domain, and since meeting him, she’d had a burning desire to venture out and explore more of the Kingdom, perhaps even the rest of the world.

They’d met for the first time about ten years ago. Link’s father had been posted to Zora’s Domain for a while, prior to his appointment as King Rhoam’s Royal Guard. The older knight had decided to take Link with him, since Zora’s Domain was a peaceful place where Link could learn about other peoples of Hyrule, as well as practice his burgeoning combat skills. The Zora had long memories and were skilled historians, after all, and his father had hoped this would help Link understand more of the world.

Mipha had been fascinated by the young boy. He grew so fast! He lived for eight years in Zora’s domain, and in that time he had gone from being only up to her elbow to the same height as her, even though she herself had hardly changed. Moreover, his father often took him on expeditions all over Hyrule, and so he always had so many stories to tell, when one could get him to speak, of course.

His stories highlighted just how much Mipha had been confined to Zora’s Domain, and lit her curiosity for places beyond the familiar rivers and mountains of her home. She’d always had a passing interest in exploring more of the world, but now it had become an active passion. Sometimes, atop Mount Polymus, she could look out at the mountains, forests, and rivers that made up the rest of their Kingdom, from the glowing red lava of Death Mountain to the snow-capped peaks of Mount Lanayru, and all the greenery that stretched beyond that. She would squint to try and catch a glimpse of the Gerudo Highlands or desert, and the peaks of the Hebra mountains, trying to imagine what those far corners of the Kingdom was like. She even looked at times to the distant oceans east of the Domain, and try to make out faraway lands beyond the borders of their Kingdom. What was beyond that, she wondered? Certainly nothing she’d ever be allowed to see.

She learnt more about the Kingdom from Link. Even at the tender age of seven, he had been to the southern Faron Region, the dry Gerudo desert, and even the scorching Eldin regions. He told her of the tingling sensation left in his mouth after biting into a voltfruit, of deliciously cold frozen wildberries, of the hearty roasts from Eldin. Mipha had been enthralled by his stories, and later, by him. When he’d left the Domain at age 15, his voice broken and his jawline beginning to sharpen as he lost his baby fat, Mipha had already begun to feel the first stirrings of attraction for him. Meeting him again now only made the feelings she’d nursed for nearly two years grow stronger.

She had felt her heart leap to her throat, a strange heat in her cheeks, when they’d met for the first time earlier that day. He was a knight now, assigned as Princess Zelda’s personal guard, and he looked so grown up now in his armor and bearing a knight’s sword and shield.

“Link! You’ve grown so much!” she’d exclaimed. And he really had. Though not quite yet a man, his face had certainly gotten even more mature, and he had managed to grow taller (though Mipha knew he was still considered short by Hylian standards). Looking at him now, having to gaze upwards to meet his eyes, made her realize that he really was more man than boy now, and that thought made her heart skip a beat.

He’d only nodded at her in response, however. If possible, he’d grown even quieter than when he was a child. Mipha resisted the urge to giggle. A strong, silent, man. Many of her female acquaintances had giggled to each other about finding such a husband one day. They’d named various Zora Captains, or engineers, or other males in the Domain. But for some reason, none of them had ever caught Mipha’s attention. Somehow, she couldn’t imagine herself wed to a Zora, of going to bed each night feeling the same smooth, shark-like skin as hers around her, or the touch of scales underneath her fingertips. There was a curious part of her that craved something more, something much warmer…

And at the moment, that something was Link.

But Link’s eyes were not focused on her. Though he had clearly been happy to see her, the warmth in his eyes was not the same as what Mipha had for him. He cared for her, he loved her, but he was not _in_ love with her.

And even when they’d been out fighting together, even though Mipha had felt giddy joy at finally fighting alongside him, she felt he was somehow still far away. There was something else that seemed to pull at him, something… or some _one_ …

Mipha tried to quell the sadness in her heart as she stood in the throne room and followed his gaze to Princess Zelda. During the rest of the parlay with the Zora court, Mipha couldn’t help but notice how often his eyes slid to the golden-haired princess, almost as if he couldn’t help it, and couldn’t look away. He moved when she did, eyes always darting about, as if afraid anything or anyone might try to harm her, despite all of them being safe within the citadel. Whenever he was in the Princess’s vicinity, his every move seemed to anticipate or complement hers, and hers him. It was almost as instinctual, and yet the two did not even seem to realize it.

It hurt. Mipha had known Link for so many years, had loved Link for so long, and yet he had never noticed. And now… in so short a time, someone else seemed to have captured his heart, and Mipha couldn’t even fault him for it. Princess Zelda was beautiful, the most beautiful Hylian Mipha had ever seen. And beneath that, she had passion, wisdom, and wit. She made up for Link’s lack of verboseness with her own commentary, and it never felt forced. She somehow made it seem as if they were having a conversation even when it was her doing most of the talking, because she seemed to actually understand Link’s silences, nods, and subtle changes in expression. There were times when even Mipha was at a loss at what Link was thinking, despite knowing him for a decade, but Zelda never seemed to have the same problem. 

Moreover, Zelda’s determination and dedication to Hyrule was something everyone felt. They all knew of her struggles to awaken her power, and yet she never stopped working hard, and also never stopped looking for other ways to guard against the Calamity. Even whilst other tribes and peoples tried to deny the coming Calamity, she was proactive in protecting the Kingdom. She would give anything to the Kingdom, and Mipha had to admire her for it. She could never justify any negative feelings towards her.

Her sorrow aside, Mipha truly liked the princess, and she also loved Link. She could never blame either of them for Link not returning her feelings, and so she knew she had to try her best to be happy with the friendship she had and bury the feelings in her heart. It wasn’t very princess-like of her to feel such ugly feelings as jealousy. Zelda did not deserve that. Link did not deserve that.

Besides, at the critical moment atop Mount Polymus, it wasn’t even Link that had saved her. It had been the Rito Warrior Revali.

Her eyes slid to the grumpy Rito that had accompanied the two Hylians. His arrival had been a surprise. Not that Rito were rare in Zora’s domain. The two races had always been on friendly terms, despite living on opposite sides of the map. Their ability to fly allowed them to run the most efficient postal service in all of Hyrule, and it was not uncommon to find Rito all over the kingdom in this capacity. Moreover, the two races did engage in constant trade. The Rito often brought meat, poultry, and Hebra goods to trade for the Zora’s extensive variety of fish, herbal medicines, and mineral ores. In fact, they were one of Zora’s Domain’s most prolific trade partners, especially since the other peoples of Hyrule found the trek to the domain difficult, and the Zora themselves rarely ventured outside the Domain. The young Mipha, ever on the lookout for stories about the rest of Hyrule, had always made it a point to talk to the Rito traders and postal workers whenever they passed through.

In the last few years, she’d heard mention of the Rito Warrior Revali. He was said to be a peerless warrior, having become the best aviator at age 12 and surpassed all other warriors with a bow by age 14. Moreover, he was able to utilize the bow in a way no Rito, Hylian, or indeed any other people of Hyrule, could. It was even rumoured that he could even create his own wind to aid in aerial combat. When Mipha had asked if his parents had also been warriors, the trader laughed.

“Not at all! His father was a simple village guard, and his mother a storekeeper. To be honest, Princess Mipha, we _never_ expected him to turn out the way he did! He was so scrawny as a kid we thought it would be a miracle if he survived five winters!”

Mipha had frowned, not liking the sort of surprise in their voice. It wasn’t malicious, but she was sure it wouldn’t have made this Revali feel any better to hear it. _She_ certainly would have been upset if she knew others thought of her that way (though of course, given her status of a princess, no one would dare say anything of the sort in places where it might get back to her).

But there was also a twinge of fascination on her part at knowing this. Unlike herself, Link, or Princess Zelda, Revali had no lineage of warriors to him, no magical bloodline, and no noble title. He was an ordinary Rito, who had risen in the ranks to become the leader of the Rito Guard, and their most respected warrior. There was something very admirable about that fact.

And now, he was chosen as a Champion. Link had told her the other Champions would be Lady Urbosa, the Chieftain of the Gerudo, and they were planning to head up to Death Mountain after this to ask Lord Daruk, who was related to the Chieftain of the Gorons, to be the last Champion. All of them would have come from impressive pedigrees, except Revali.

Was that why he was so standoffish and prickly? Did he feel as if he had to boast and puff up in order to stand amongst them? Was it a defense mechanism of some sort? Mipha thought that might have been the case and resolved she would try to find a way to make him more comfortable.

However, after the official meeting had adjourned, he had disappeared from the throne room. Mipha had other duties to attend to, and so could not really take time to look for him. When she finally came across him at last, she was surprised to find him on one of the remote walkways of the Domain, one that had led up toward Mount Polymus. Had he gone back there? She couldn’t fathom why, but she wasn’t able to ask since Revali hadn’t been alone, as he was currently engaged in a spirited conversation with Princess Zelda. She was surprised at how friendly and comfortable the two seemed with one another. They’d bickered in good-naturedly about whether the Sheikah Slate Zelda had counted as a proper weapon, and Revali had bemoaned in a dramatic fashion about how difficult it was to fight while making sure she was safe.

“Well, Link is my assigned knight, so you could have left it to him,” Zelda pointed out.

“Oh please, like I’d feel comfortable leaving everything to that tiny, green knight.”

Zelda frowned. “You’re not so tall yourself, Revali.”

His feathers puffed up in anger at that, and Zelda laughed.

“Come on, I suppose you’re probably hungry, and that’s why you’re being so mean, isn’t it?”

With that, she grabbed him by his wing, yanking him back towards the dining hall, while Revali complained that she was going to rip his feathers out. Zelda ignored him and the two disappeared back into the Citadel proper.

Mipha sighed, feeling slightly disappointed. She had hoped to thank the Rito Warrior for his rescue, and for saving Sidon. Granted, she might have preferred that he didn’t let Sidon see him and Link destroy the Lynel, but Sidon seemed to have been invigorated rather than traumatized by the experience of dangling from the Rito Warrior’s talons during the last leg of the battle.

“One day, I will be as cool as that!” Sidon had told her. “Then I can fight alongside you, big sister!”

Mipha had just nodded indulgently, hoping there would never come the day that Sidon would have to fight at all. She made her way to the Dining Hall after the other two, staring at Revali’s back. For some reason, the memory of flying with him replayed over and over in her mind. Despite her terror at being shot into the air, her heart slamming against her ribcage from adrenaline, she also couldn’t forget how warm his back had been, and how the soft down of his neck had felt against her face when she’d buried it there to calm her nerves.

***

Sidon: I nearly died. I got to fly. I watched the fight. It was AWESOME! *sparkles*

Mipha: …

Revali: I think this kid needs his self-preservation instincts checked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize... I said they'd meet, but the chapter got too long so they don't get to talk yet. Next time!
> 
> Also, anyone familiar with Misattribution theory and the Capilano Bridge Experiment will probably know why I had them meeting under such intense, heart-pounding, circumstances. I'm a sucker for psychological experiments haha.
> 
> Also I've named a few more Rito Warriors because, again, I want to explore how Revali would interact with his own people. Komali is another import from Wind Waker, this time as the grandson of the chief rather than son. And Ibari... has white feathers for a reason.
> 
> Also, since this was posted at the beginning of March, Happy Anniversary to Breath of the Wild! I may or may not have imagined Revali's inauguration as Rito Commander to have fallen on the same day ^^ Thank you, Nintendo, for giving us such a beautiful game and such dynamic characters!


End file.
